Yarn spinning apparatus

ABSTRACT

A yarn spinning or twisting machine including a rotary spindle having a bobbin thereon for accumulating yarn. A yarn engaging tip is carried by the spindle for engaging the yarn during the spinning or twisting operation to reduce tension in the yarn while also inserting false twist in the yarn below the nip of the front rollers. A yarn guide is provided for directing the yarn to the tip carried on the spindle. The yarn guide is manipulated to various positions during doffing, threading-up, and running of the yarn.

United States Patent 1 [1 1 Hart [ 51 July 16,1974- YARN SPINNING APPARATUS [76] Inventor: Douglas G. Hart, 117 Knollwood I Ln., Greenville, SC. 29607 221 Filedt Jan. 2, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 320,281

[52] US. Cl 57/73, 57/106, 57/111 [51] Int. Cl. D0lh 7/18, D01h 13/04 [58] Field of Search 57/73, 106, 109, 110, 111

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 327,862 10/1885 Chapman 57/73 2,178,488 10/1939 Ter Mors 3,104,514 9/1963 Schloesser 3,107,479 10/1963 Kooistra 3,343,361 9/1967 Wurmli 57/73 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 993,058 5/1965 Great Britain 57/73 1,319,331 l/1963 France 57/73 Primary Examiner-John Petrakes Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Bailey & Dority [5 7] ABSTRACT A yarn spinning or twisting machine including a rotary spindle having a bobbin thereon for accumulating yarn. A yarn engaging tip is carried by the spindle for engaging the yarn during the spinning or twisting operation to reduce tension in the yarn while also inserting false twist in the yarn below the nip of the front rollers. A yarn guide is provided for directing the yarn to the tip carried on the spindle. The yarn guide is manipulated to various positions during doffing, threading-up, and running of the yarn.

11 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEB JUL 1 61974 SlifEFl-BFS YARN SPINNING APPARATUS This invention relates to a spinning or twisting machine, and more particularly to a tip carried on top of a spindle for reducing the ballooning of yarn during twisting or spinning, as well as to an apparatus for aiding in threading-up and doffing of the yarn.

Generally in the textile industry, long strands of yarn are wound by spinning and twisting machines on bobbins to form packages which are subsequently used in the construction of fabrics.

One of the problems limiting the use of higher spinning speeds is the occurrence of excessive tension in the yarn between the front roll nip and the surface of the spun yarn package. Excessive tension contributes to an excessive rate of thread breaks (known as endsdown).

Many theories have been developed concerning the causes of frequent ends-down. For instance, it has been found that the rate of ends-down varies according to the length of the twistless-zone, as demonstrated by the V formed below the nip of the front rolls when spinning from double rovingthe longer the two arms of the V the higher the rate of ends-down.

In the course of research it has been found that a combination of four attributes should prove helpful in the attainment of higher spinning speeds:

l. Reduction of the average level of spinning tension in the yarn, especially immediately below the front roll nip, by some form of control mechanism.

2. Reduction of the tension peaks (i.e. momentary tension maxima which occur at various times during the build of a complete yarn package), preferably by some form of the shock-absorbing capstan effect.

3. Insertion of false twist in the yarn as near to the front roll nip as may be practical. The latter area is that in which the great majority of all ends-down occurhence the desirability of maintaining high torque in the yarn in this region.

4. Reduction of the length of the yarn balloon.

Various solutions to the problem of running higher spinning speeds have included the use of antiballooning devices for engaging the yarn between the front delivery rollers and the conventional traveler used to wind the yarn on to the bobbin. While many attempts, such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,l04,5l4 granted to Schloesser, U.S. Pat. No. 3,172,248 granted to Piper, U.S. Pat. No. 3,l4l,286 granted to Takita, U.S. Pat. No. 2,78 l ,627 grated to Netelenbos, and U.S. Pat. No. 1,813,6l l have been developed, these devices to my knowledge have not become commercially acceptable for one reason or another in the textile industry.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a spinning machine which reduces yarn tension, while at the same time temporarily inserting a false twist in the yarn between the conventional ring and the nip of the front rollers.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a spinning apparatus which reduces ballooning of yarn during spinning.

Still another important object of the present invention is to provide a yam spinning machine with a yarn guide which can be manipulated for automatically threading-up the yarn in the device which performs the above functions.

Still another important object of the present invention is to provide a yarn spinning machine which has a yarn guide that can be shifted laterally to disengage the yarn from a spindle tip for facilitating doffing.

Still another important object of the present invention is to provide a yarn spinning machine having a yarn guide with a hole therein of a predetermined diameter to control the yarn path for automatically threading-up the spindle tip device.

The construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features thereof.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification, and by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein an example of the invention is shown and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view illustrating a portion of a spinning frame showing thread guides in a doffing threading-up and running position,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevation illustrating the top of a spindle having a tip constructed in accordance with the present invention carried therein,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the tip illustrated in FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view, partially in section, illustrating a drive mechanism for rotating the thread guide rod,

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating thread guides in three different operating positions, and

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view illustrating the drive mechanism for manipulatingthe thread guide rod.

Referring in more detail to the drawings, there is illustrated a yarn spinning machine including a rotary spindle A having a bobbin thereon for accumulating yarn. The spindle A has a vertical axial bore disposed in the top thereof. The yarn guide B is centrally disposed above the spindle for directing yarn to the bobbin and a conventional traveler (not shown) is carried adjacent a main body portion of the spindle for directing the winding of the yarn on the bobbin. A yarn engaging tip C is carried by the spindle A and includes a shank portion having a lower portion extending into the bore of the spindle frictionally engaging the spindle to be rotated therewith. The upper portion of the shank portion is spaced above the top of the spindle and circumferentially spaced projections extend upwardly and outwardly therefrom. Thus, during the spinning operation the yarn passes through the yarn guide B to engage the projections carried by the tip then wraps around the shank portion of the tip and extends downwardly to the traveler to be wound on the bobbin.

Referring in more detail to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is illustrated a portion of the conventional spinning frame having the usual roller beam 11 with a thread guide rod 10 carried thereby which extends along the full length of the frame. Positioned below the roller beam 11 are spindles A which are rotated by conventional mechanism during the winding of the yarn l4 thereon. The yarn extends downwardly from the conventional delivery rollers through the yarn guide B, around the tip C and is wound by the conventional traveler on a bobbin 16 carried on the spindle. The spindle A is a' conventional spindle, however, a top portion is built-up, such as illustrated in FIG. 2, for accommodating the tip C. In one particular embodiment the top portion of the spindle has a diameter at the top of 0.724

and tapers downwardly to a diameter of 0.822 inches adjacent an area identified by reference character 18. An axial bore 20 is provided in the top of the spindle for accommodating a shank portion 22 of the tip C. The shank portion, in one particular embodiment, is 0.189 inches in diameter and has a height of 0.936 inches. The lower portion of the shank 22 is bifurcated so that such can be snugly pressed within the bore 20 to provide a frictional engagement between the spindle and the shank.

Carried adjacent the top portion of the shank 22 are circumferentially spaced leaf-like projections 24 which extend outwardly and upwardly at an angle of 30. In one preferred embodiment the distance between the outer periphery of opposed leaf-like projections is 0.56 inches, and the spaced projections 24 extend outwardly beyond the shank portions 0.185 inches.

The thread guide B is constructed of a wire shaped member which is looped adjacent one end to define an opening 26. In general practice this looped end of the thread guide is often referred to as the pig-tail. The diameter of the opening 26 in the thread guide is l/8 inch as compared to the conventional pig-tail guide, which frequently has a l/4 inch internal diameter hole therein. The smaller diameter is important in order to control the yarn path for automatically threading or engaging the yarn with the spindle tip C. It also aids in controlling the small balloon which is created between the spindle tip C and the thread guide B during the spinning operation, as shown above the right-hand spindle in FIG. 1.

The thread guide B is carried on the outwardly extending arm 28 which has a circular collar 30 integral with the inner end thereof, which encompasses the thread guide rod 10. Keys 40 are provided for locking the collar 30 to the thread guide rod.

The normal position of the thread guide B for threading up the bobbin is shown in the middle in FIG. 1. The thread guide and rod are rotated until the hole in the thread guide B, in one particular application, is only l/8 inch above the uppermost elevation of the spindle tip protrusion 24. As soon as the thread guides are lowered to this position, each thread immediately engages the protrusions 24 causing the yarn 14 to wrap around the shank portion 22 of the tip C. The yarn 14 then extends over an upper edge of the bobbin 16 and is fed downwardly to the conventional traveler which winds the yarn onto the spindle. Immediately after the yarn 14 engages the protrusions 24 of the spindle tips C all thread guides B are then raised to the normal operating position wherein the hole 26 in the thread guide B is ap proximately 2 inches above the top of the spindle tip C. This position is illustrated on the right in FIG. 1.

When it is desired to dofi' the bobbins 16 from the spindles A, first the yarn 14 is disengaged from the spindle tips C by shifting the thread guide rod 10 in one particular embodiment, one to two inches laterally to the left (i.e., when facing the line of spindles, and when Z twist is being spun) while the frame is slowing down for the doff. Such lateral movement of the thread guide B causes the thread 14 automatically to disengage from the spindle tip C prior to the doffing of the bobbin so as to avoid delaying the normal manual or automatic bobbin doffing operations.

The mechanism for rotating the thread guide rod 10 is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 6. The thread guide 10 is rotated by an electric motor 42 which has coupled to its output shaft a worm 44. The electric motor 42 may be any suitable conventional electric motor that can be readily started and stopped to rotate a predetermined number of revolutions. The worm wheel 46 meshes with the worm 44 and is rotated thereby. A drive linkage 48 is coupled between the worm wheel 46 and a rack 50. The rack 50 has elongated longitudinal teeth 52 provided therein, which mesh with the teeth 54 provided in a gear 56 carried on the thread guide rod 10. The gear 56 is keyed to the thread guide rod 10 by keys 58. The worm wheel 46 is suitably joumalled on a shaft 59 which is joumalled for rotation in a bearing carried by an extension 12 of the roller beam 11.

When it is desired to shift the thread guide B between the three positions illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 5 the motor 42 is merely energized. For example, if it is desired to lower the thread guide B from the doff position (i.e., the vertical position illustrated in FIG. 5) to the threading-up position (which is the lowest position shown in FIG. ,5) the motor 42 is energized causing the worm wheel46 to rotate in the clockwise direction. This, in turn, raises the rack 50 rotating the thread guide rod 10 in a clockwise direction to the lower or threading-up position. After the threading-up of the yarn 14 the motor 42 is energized to lower the rack 50 causing the guide arm to be raised to the intermediate running position and, on completion of the bobbin build, to the raised, doff position. It is of course, to be understood that instead of using the worm gear and electric motor, such as illustrated in FIG. 6, a hydraulic or pneumatically operated cylinder, or any other suitable means could be used for selectively raising and lowering the rack 52. In one particular embodiment, the mechanism for shifting the thread guide laterally one to two inches during the doffing operation includes a double acting pneumatic cylinder 57 whichis coupled to one end of the thread guide rod 10 by a coupling 60. When it is desired to disengage the yarn 14 from the projections 24 of the tip C the pneumatic cylinder 58 is activated to shift the thread guide rod 10, 1 inch laterally. The movement of the thread guide B deflects the yarn path so that it clears the protrusions 24 and as soon as the yarn clears the protrusions it unwarps from around the shank portion 22 of the spindle tip, thus freeing the bobbin 16 for normal doffing. The lateral movement of the thread guide rod 10 is only performed within the final or so revolutions of the spindle A before it stops for the doff.

Since the spindle tips C are merely pressed into the bores 20 carried in the top of the spindles A, they can be easily removed therefrom for cleaning any threads that may have wrapped therearound.

The tip C engaging the yarn 14 during the spinning operation reduces spinning tension in the yarn and simultaneously inserts false twist therein. The false twist provides greater torque in the yarn immediately below the front roll nip, which, coupled with the lower spinning tension, reduces the number of ends-down during the spinning operation. Higher spinning speeds and lower twist multiples can thus be run.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described using specific terms, such description is for illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without dcparting from the spirit or scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A yarn spinning machine including a rotary spindle having a bobbin thereon for accumulating yarn, said spindle having a vertical axial bore disposed in the top thereof, a yarn guide centrally disposed above said spindle for directing yarn to said bobbin and a traveler carried adjacent a main body portion of said spindle for directing the winding of yarn on said bobbin, said improvement including: a yarn engaging tip carried by said spindle, said yarn engaging tip including a shank portion having a lower portion extending into said bore of said spindle frictionally engaging said spindle to be rotated therewith and an upper portion being spaced above the top of said spindle, and circumferentially spaced substantially horizontal leaf-like projections extending upwardly and outwardly from said upper portion of said shank portion, whereby during the spinning operation said yarn passes through said yarn guide to engage said projections, wraps around said shank portion and extends downwardly to said traveler to be wound on said bobbin.

2. The yarn spinning machine set forth in claim 1, wherein said spaced projections extend upwardly at an angle 30 from the horizontal.

3. The yarn spinning machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said spaced projections extend outwardly beyond the shank portion 0.185 inches.

4. The yarn spinning machine as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: a support member for supporting said yarn guide, and means for shifting said support member laterally for disengaging said yarn from said yarn engaging tip to facilitate doffing of said bobbin.

5. The yarn spinning machine as set forth in claim 4, further comprising: means for moving said support member so that said yarn guide is moved closely adjacent said tip for directing said yarn to said tip for automatically threading.

6. A yarn spinning machine including a rotary spindle having a bobbin thereon for accumulating yarn, a traveler carried adjacent a main body portion of said spindle for directing the winding of yarn on said bobbin as said yarn is supplied from a source carried above said spindle, the improvement comprising: a yarn engaging tip carried by said spindle, said yarn engaging tip including circumferentially spaced substantially horizontal leaf-like projections extending upwardly and outwardly from adjacent a top thereof, a yarn guide centrally disposed above said spindle for directing yarn to said tip and said bobbin, a support member for supporting said yarn guide, means for rotating said support member to shift said yarn guide to a first position closely adjacent said tip for automatically threading up said bobbin, and said means for rotating said support member shifting said yarn guide to a second position above said first position during normal spinning operation.

7. The yarn spinning machine as set forth in claim 6, wherein said yarn guide in said first position is l 8 inch from the top of said tip.

8. The yarn spinning machine as set forth in claim 6 further comprising: means for shifting said support member laterally for disengaging said yarn from said tip to facilitate doffing of said bobbin.

9. The yarn spinning machine set forth in claim 8, wherein said support member is an elongated rotatable rod extending along the full length of said machine, and said means for rotating said rod is a power operated drive means engaging said rod for rotating said rod a predetermined number of degrees.

10. The yarn spinning machine as set forth in claim 6, wherein said yarn guide has an opening therein through which said yarn passes having a diameter of 1/8 inch.

11. A yarn spinning machine including a rotary spindle having a bobbin thereon for accumulating yarn, a traveler carried adjacent a main body portion of said spindle for directing the winding of yarn on said bobbin as said yarn is supplied from a source carried above said spindle, the improvement comprising: a yarn engaging tip carried above said spindle, a yarn guide centrally disposed above said spindle for directing yarn to said tip and said bobbin, a support member for supporting said yarn guide, means for rotating said support member to shift said yarn guide to a first position closely adjacent said tip for automatically threading up said bobbin, said means for rotating said support member shifting said yarn guide to a second position above said first position during normal spinning operation, and means for shifting said support member laterally for disengaging said yarn from said tip to facilitate doffing of said bobbin.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,823,539 D t d July 16, 1974 Inventor Douglas G. Hart It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

' Column 4, line 40, "58" should read 57 Column 4, line 44, "unwarps" should read unwraps In the drawing, in the center diagram of Figure l, the thread 14 should pass through the pigtail B as shown:

Signed and Scaled this Thirt im Day Of October 1970 Attest:

RUTHC MASON DONALD w. BANNER i "8 fl cer Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks 

1. A yarn spinning machine including a rotary spindle having a bobbin thereon for accumulating yarn, said spindle having a vertical axial bore disposed in the top thereof, a yarn guide centrally disposed above said spindle for directing yarn to said bobbin and a traveler carried adjacent a main body portion of said spindle for directing the winding of yarn on said bobbin, said improvement including: a yarn engaging tip carried by said spindle, said yarn engaging tip including a shank portion having a lower portion extending into said bore of said spindle frictionally engaging said spindle to be rotated therewith and an upper portion being spaced above the top of said spindle, and circumferentially spaced substantially horizontal leaf-like projections extending upwardly and outwardly from said upper portion of said shank portion, whereby during the spinning operation said yarn passes through said yarn guide to engage said projections, wraps around said shank portion and extends downwardly to said traveler to be wound on said bobbin.
 2. The yarn spinning machine set forth in claim 1, wherein said spaced projections extend upwardly at an angle 30* from the horizontal.
 3. The yarn spinning machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said spaced projections extend outwardly beyond the shank portion 0.185 inches.
 4. The yarn spinning machine as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: a support member for supporting said yarn guide, and means for shifting said support member laterally for disengaging said yarn from said yarn engaging tip to facilitate doffing of said bobbin.
 5. The yarn spinning machine as set forth in claim 4, further comprising: means for moving said support member so that said yarn guide is moved closely adjacent said tip for directing said yarn to said tip for automatically threading.
 6. A yarn spinning machine including a rotary spindle having a bobbin thereon for accumulating yarn, a traveler carried adjacent a main body portion of said spindle for directing the winding of yarn on said bobbin as said yarn is supplied from a source carried above said spindle, the improvement comprising: a yarn engaging tip carried by said spindle, said yarn engaging tip including circumferentially spaced substantially horizontal leaf-like projections extending upwardly and outwardly from adjacent a top thereof, a yarn guide centrally disposed above said spindle for directing yarn to said tip and said bobbin, a support member for supporting said yarn guide, means for rotating said support member to shift said yarn guide to a first position closely adjacent said tip for automatically threading up said bobbin, and said means for rotating said support member shifting said yarn guide to a second position above said first position during normal spinning operation.
 7. The yarn spinning machine as set forth in claim 6, wherein said yarn guide in said first position is 1/8 inch from the top of said tip.
 8. The yarn spinning machine as set forth in claim 6 further comprising: means for shifting said support member laterally for disengaging said yarn from said tip to facilitate doffing of said bobbin.
 9. The yarn spinning machine set forth in claim 8, wherein said support member is an elongated rotatable rod extending along the full length of said machine, and said means for rotating said rod is a power operated drive means engaging said rod for rotating said rod a predetermined number of degrees.
 10. The yarn spinning machine as set forth in claim 6, wherein said yarn guide has an opening therein through which said yarn passes having a diameter of 1/8 inch.
 11. A yarn spinning machine including a rotary spindle having a bobbin thereon for accumulating yarn, a traveler carried adjacent a main body portion of said spindle for directing the winding of yarn on said bobbin as said yarn is supplied from a source carried above said spindle, the improvement comprising: a yarn engaging tip carried above said spindle, a yarn guide centrally disposed above said spindle for directing yarn to said tip and said bobbin, a support member for supporting said yarn guide, means for rotating said support member to shift said yarn guide to a first position closely adjacent said tip for automatically threading up said bobbin, said means for rotating said support member shifting said yarn guide to a second position above said first position during normal spinning operation, and means for shifting said support member laterally for disengaging said yarn from said tip to facilitate doffing of said bobbin. 